Riley and Baxley dependable choices for governor’s race

Published: Sunday, May 21, 2006 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, May 20, 2006 at 11:00 p.m.

This year’s campaign for governor of Alabama is unusual in that all of the frontrunners are so familiar to voters.

Bob Riley and Roy Moore, in the Republican primary, and Don Siegelman and Lucy Baxley, on the Democratic side, all have been elected previously to state office. There is no question of name recognition or where they stand on issues.

We believe the choice for voters on June 6 is equally clear. The Tuscaloosa News endorses Riley for the Republican nomination and urges Democrats to support Baxley.

Though he began his term in 2003 with a crippling defeat when voters decisively rejected his proposed $1.2 billion tax plan, Riley has been a good governor. He provided positive leadership during lean years and managed to make notable progress in education, economic development and even tax reform.

The Alabama Reading Initiative is the centerpiece of his educational program. Nationally acclaimed for its effectiveness in teaching children to read, it is offered now to every child from kindergarten to third grade in the state’s public schools.

Riley also deserves praise for his support of the companion Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative, which has raised scores in state classrooms, and for his Distance Learning initiative, which offers previously unavailable educational opportunities over the Internet for children in rural schools.

Riley also has shown effective leadership in economic development. Although the state lost a recruiting war to Georgia for a coveted Kia automotive plant, it has recruited 1,200 new and expanding industries during Riley’s term, for a net gain of more than 75,000 new jobs. Riley’s emphasis on employment opportunities for the Black Belt is as unprecedented as it is welcome. We hope it will produce more dividends for this section of the state.

In tax reform, Riley deserves full credit for his leadership role in eliminating a shamefully low threshold for the working poor.

He also deserves credit for running an honest and ethical administration. Alabamians can trust this governor.

Baxley, who served for two terms as state treasurer before her election to lieutenant governor in 2002, also has proven herself to be a scrupulously honest public servant.

In her current office, she has not always been the activist that we would like to see, but that’s not necessarily her choice. The Legislature severely circumscribed the powers of the office when her successor, Steve Windom, held it. The lieutenant governorship now is largely a ceremonial post.

That’s not to say that Baxley has failed to take strong stands.

We think her plan to create a Cabinet-level office of inspector general has merit. It would monitor spending on state contracts and government efficiency and investigate corruption complaints, turning the findings over to law enforcement for prosecution.

Baxley also wants to ban PAC-to-PAC transfers, a practice used to launder political money. She wants to limit spending by lobbyists on public officials to $250 a year and require officials, lobbyists and political action committees alike to report entertainment expenses they incur or receive.

She also wants to remove the state tax on food and over-the-counter medicines, put more state troopers on the road, push for better veterans’ benefits and seek an expansion of alternative sentencing to reduce the pressure on overcrowded state prisons.

The “I Love Lucy" theme from her campaigns of years projects a mushy image. But people who know her are familiar with another side -- one of substance, backbone and grit -- that makes her a good leader.

We cannot in good conscience consider Moore a viable candidate. His avowed defiance of the federal government only invites chaos.

As for Siegelman, another unprecedented facet of this election is that he is campaigning between court appearances. His corruption trial will extend past the primary and at this point, his future is an open question.

Riley and Baxley offer voters dependable records and sound choices on June 6.

<p>This year’s campaign for governor of Alabama is unusual in that all of the frontrunners are so familiar to voters.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>Bob Riley and Roy Moore, in the Republican primary, and Don Siegelman and Lucy Baxley, on the Democratic side, all have been elected previously to state office. There is no question of name recognition or where they stand on issues.</p><p>We believe the choice for voters on June 6 is equally clear. The Tuscaloosa News endorses Riley for the Republican nomination and urges Democrats to support Baxley.</p><p>Though he began his term in 2003 with a crippling defeat when voters decisively rejected his proposed $1.2 billion tax plan, Riley has been a good governor. He provided positive leadership during lean years and managed to make notable progress in education, economic development and even tax reform.</p><p>The Alabama Reading Initiative is the centerpiece of his educational program. Nationally acclaimed for its effectiveness in teaching children to read, it is offered now to every child from kindergarten to third grade in the state’s public schools.</p><p>Riley also deserves praise for his support of the companion Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative, which has raised scores in state classrooms, and for his Distance Learning initiative, which offers previously unavailable educational opportunities over the Internet for children in rural schools.</p><p>Riley also has shown effective leadership in economic development. Although the state lost a recruiting war to Georgia for a coveted Kia automotive plant, it has recruited 1,200 new and expanding industries during Riley’s term, for a net gain of more than 75,000 new jobs. Riley’s emphasis on employment opportunities for the Black Belt is as unprecedented as it is welcome. We hope it will produce more dividends for this section of the state.</p><p>In tax reform, Riley deserves full credit for his leadership role in eliminating a shamefully low threshold for the working poor.</p><p>He also deserves credit for running an honest and ethical administration. Alabamians can trust this governor.</p><p>Baxley, who served for two terms as state treasurer before her election to lieutenant governor in 2002, also has proven herself to be a scrupulously honest public servant.</p><p>In her current office, she has not always been the activist that we would like to see, but that’s not necessarily her choice. The Legislature severely circumscribed the powers of the office when her successor, Steve Windom, held it. The lieutenant governorship now is largely a ceremonial post.</p><p>That’s not to say that Baxley has failed to take strong stands.</p><p>We think her plan to create a Cabinet-level office of inspector general has merit. It would monitor spending on state contracts and government efficiency and investigate corruption complaints, turning the findings over to law enforcement for prosecution.</p><p>Baxley also wants to ban PAC-to-PAC transfers, a practice used to launder political money. She wants to limit spending by lobbyists on public officials to $250 a year and require officials, lobbyists and political action committees alike to report entertainment expenses they incur or receive.</p><p>She also wants to remove the state tax on food and over-the-counter medicines, put more state troopers on the road, push for better veterans’ benefits and seek an expansion of alternative sentencing to reduce the pressure on overcrowded state prisons.</p><p>The I Love Lucy" theme from her campaigns of years projects a mushy image. But people who know her are familiar with another side -- one of substance, backbone and grit -- that makes her a good leader.</p><p>We cannot in good conscience consider Moore a viable candidate. His avowed defiance of the federal government only invites chaos.</p><p>As for Siegelman, another unprecedented facet of this election is that he is campaigning between court appearances. His corruption trial will extend past the primary and at this point, his future is an open question.</p><p>Riley and Baxley offer voters dependable records and sound choices on June 6.</p>